Their eyes met.
Their faces were almost touching.
A light breeze blew past.
The girl's hair brushed his cheek, and her faint fragrance reached his nose.
Obito could even hear her breathing clearly.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
Obito's heart began to race.
Like a sports car, it went from zero to full throttle in an instant.
His face flushed red, and he stammered.
"I... I might be... a little... jealous," he said quietly.
Rin wore an I knew it expression and laughed again.
"Why? You don't think I like Kakashi, do you?"
Obito said nothing.
But the look on his face—Don't you?—was answer enough.
Rin stopped smiling and let out a soft sigh.
"Obito-kun, you know admiration and love are two different things to me."
"I admire Kakashi. Lots of girls in class do, because he's good at everything."
"Maybe some girls have fallen for him because of that, but I'm not one of them. I just want to become someone as capable as he is."
"...Besides, there's already someone I like."
Obito jerked his head up.
A boom seemed to go off in his head.
He froze where he stood.
Rin already liked someone?
And it wasn't Kakashi!
Then who was it?
...Could it be me?!
"Wh-who is it?" he couldn't help asking.
Rin spoke softly.
"The person I like is a big idiot who's always making a fool of himself."
"Everyone calls him the Dead Last, but when it really matters, he's more dependable than anyone."
"He's late for everything, but whenever I'm upset, he always shows up right when I need him and does everything he can to make me smile."
"And he gets me a present for every holiday... Um, even if the things he gives me are pretty strange..."
"But I like that idiot.